1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to banks, such as piggy banks, that are used by individuals to store small amounts of money. More particularly, the present invention relates to animated banks that contain a character that animates when money is placed into the bank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Banks for saving coins have been in existence for as long as coined money has been made. In earlier times, coins were stored in jars and pots. In England, a common clay used to make such jars was known as pygg clay. The jars were, therefore, known as pygg jars. Over the years, pygg jars evolved into pygg banks, which are now commonly referred to as piggy banks.
During much of the 19th century, the making of piggy banks evolved into an art form. By the end of the 19th century, mechanical banks were in fashion,  wherein the banks were part bank and part toy. Banks were made with complex mechanical workings that animated parts of the bank. The animation was used either to collect the coins into the bank or animate a toy when a coin was placed into the bank.
However, over time, the popularity of novelty banks waned and the art form became antiquated. In the subsequent century, a nominal number of novelty banks have been designed. These modern novelty banks do little more than mimic the function of their mechanical ancestors. However, in a few instances, novelty banks have been fitted with electronic sensors that enable the novelty bank to perform functions not achievable by earlier mechanical novelty banks. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,977 to Tanny, entitled Collection Box, a collection box type of bank is shown with a sensor that senses a passing person. Once a passing person is detected, the collection box generates an audio signal to invite a person to place money into the collection box.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,909 to Roth, entitled Talking Contribution Box shows a bank with a coin sensor. When a coin is placed into the bank, the  bank generates an audio signal that thanks the person for the contribution of money.
Antique novelty banks were usually very high quality mechanical toys. The banks encouraged children to place coins into the bank, because that was the only way to activate the toy. The present invention returns this art form by providing new features to a novelty bank that have never before been used. The new novelty bank is interactive and encourages a child to save money through the use of interactive operational protocols, as is described and claimed below.